“I started with this company when there were 140 employees here, and I stayed here during the big growth period while the company grew to 2,500 employees. Those days were fun.

“Sadly, the company stopped growing at that point and started to focus on saving money and cutting costs, above all other priorities,” said Adrienne.

“All the innovative ideas we used to have went out the window. The old CEO left and a new CEO came in.

“This company turned from a great place to work into a horrible place. People started leaving and then the company became a revolving door. I feel like an idiot for staying here so long. I’ve been in the company for 12 years, and most of my co-workers who walk in here don’t make it a year.”

“What do you want to do now?” we asked Adrienne.

“I want to get out of this company and remember how to use my brain and my creativity,” she said. Adrienne took a contract engagement just to get out of her company, and when the contract was coming to a close she launched a job search.

“I feel like a human being again,” she told us. “I was a fearful rabbit in my old job, because the environment was so bad. Now I have the confidence to get another great job. I’ll never get myself trapped in a toxic environment again!”

It is easy to lose track of the passage of time when your job feels secure. We can easily be lulled into a stupor. That’s bad, because when you fall asleep on your career you lose touch with the outside world and the market for your talents.

Your skills can fall behind the market. Whether you work in a toxic workplace like Adrienne’s or a wonderful workplace, falling asleep on your career still does damage to your marketability.